President inaugurates Melita AFC sports facilities

Melita AFC, through its football nursery committee, recently embarked on a massive project culminating in the inauguration of two synthetic turf pitches on May 23 by President Fenech Adami..

This project was made possible through the full financial and moral backing of the parents of the children attending the nursery and the senior committee members. The project also includes a new bar/committee room and a fully tarmacked car park.

Also forthcoming was help from several government ministers, MPs from both sides of the House, and from John G. Cassar, local agents of Polytan, the artificial turf installers.

With its now established Melita Youth Nursery, Melita is the only real amateur football club in Malta. It is a club where all involved participate in football just for the love of it, with no financial considerations yet maintaining a totally professional approach.

Most of the 36 extremely dedicated coaches, though on a volunteer basis, have attended MFA courses and are fully qualified to train the 372 young boys registered who make up one of the largest nurseries in Malta. The nursery starts from the U-fives to the U-16s. There is also a ladies' football team and from next year a ladies' volleyball team.

Six senior committee members and six nursery committee members see to the club's administration. The hard work of the committee and coaches is now bearing fruit. This year the first team won promotion to Division 2; the U-14s won promotion to Section A; the U-19s to Section B, all winning their respective championships. The U-16s also have been playing in Section A for the past five years.

Among those present for the occasion were MFA president Dr Joe Mifsud; Ministers George Pullicino and Jesmond Mugliett, who together with Dr Fenech Adami and the club's president Anton Naudi had their go at a penalty shoot-out; Ministers Louis Galea, Austin Gatt and Francis Zammit Dimech.

A reception was held for the hundreds of guests present at the official opening. This was followed by a penalty shoot out for all the boys in the nursery and a barbecue for the parents.